Is heated yoga cool for youths?
Seems that this hot secret is finally out: kids can profit from hot yoga as much as adults. And much more so.
As such, many hot yoga studios are seeing an uptick within the attendance of kids, particularly tweens.
On the physical level, yoga has been shown to boost physical flexibility, coordination and strength, all of which makes children less injury-prone on the playing field. And youngsters of all ages play a whole lot of sports in class and after school, including college level sports.
On an emotional level, children who practice yoga often show increased self-esteem. They’re higher capable of give attention to tasks and manage stress in class including tests, homework, and a social life which may develop into quite stressful as they enter the tween years.
My very own two children began yoga with me once they were 14 and 17 (my daughter actually attended yoga with me when she was 5 years old; but she began practicing on her own at 14). Each are athletes – my daughter Carly plays league softball and football and is an avid cross-country biker and hiker. My son Zach is a black belt in karate and recently began Capoeira.
My kids credit hot yoga with years of injury-free athletics.
I credit it with maintaining my sanity through their teenage years.
What’s hot yoga?
Traditional Hot 26 yoga is finished in 105 degrees with 40% humidity, a 26 pose sequence for 90 minutes.
The teacher is charged with keeping everyone each secure and challenged to their max, so rest assured: your kids can be well cared for in the warmth.
Advantages for Young Athletes
Kids can play rough.
True hot yoga enhances flexibility, coordination and strength, all of which makes children less injury-prone on the playing field. That is one reason an increasing number of highschool coaches – football, baseball, soccer and hockey – are recommending hot yoga to their young athletes.
As well as, children who practice often report increased self-esteem and are higher capable of handle stress including tests, homework, and a busy after school schedule.
And what teenager would not profit from a big dose of self-direction?
Yoga-kids also are likely to higher manage emotional challenges with patience, tolerance, and, for example the L word: love.
At what age can children do hot yoga?
In my view as a yoga teacher, age 10 is concerning the earliest a young student can fully manage the stamina and balance, in addition to heat acclimatization needed to full benefit from the 90 minute hot class.
Be sure they drink loads of water – half their body weight in ounces – so that they go into class already well-hydrated.
Should parents bring their children to yoga? A heated debate…
I like seeing parents and their children doing hot yoga together and bonding over a sweaty class.
Even when tweens or teens have little in common with their parents, they’ll still enjoy this challenge together. Being warriors together in yoga class can offer a respite from battling each one other.
One caution for the parent: stop being a parent when you’re in school along with your kids! Don’t correct them, scold them, don’t even place your mat where you possibly can see them – otherwise the temptation to parent them can be too great.
Let the yoga teacher handle every part in the category; enjoy your practice and let your kid enjoy hers.
Yoga teaches balance, body control, it even teaches focus and concentration. These yoga-inspired traits are something every teen can carry well into maturity and switch into lifelong habits for happiness and success.
And a reminder of the worth of patience, self love and a time when your body was quite a bit more flexible, are great for the kid in all of us adults, too.
By Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
Lambertville NJ, November 22, 2011